It turns out that Tony Blair was surprisingly superstitious. The secret of his success in addressing the House of Commons was, or so he thought, the pair of lucky brogues that he wore at every Prime Minister's Questions from 1997 until he stepped down.

Blair believed that cheap shoes were a false economy, and favours Church's handmade leather shoes. His pair of Chetwynd brogues were bought over 18 years ago, and he wore them for every question time. David Blunkett once disclosed that Blair is something of an evangelist for the brand and pressurised him into buying a pair.